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introductory Xetier. 



M y Dear Friend : 

At your request I have consented that the article "Is THERE 
any Justice for Indians?" which appeared in the New York 
Observer, Nov. 13, 1873, should be reprinted in pamphlet form, that 
it may be distributed among those who it is hoped will do, what lies 
in their power, to render the Indian simple justice. 

Soon the race of Red men will have passed away, and after they 
are all gone, we may find, when it is too late for our repentance to 
do them any good, that we as a nation have most shamefully wronged 
them. It is a very poor excuse, but one often given by white men, 
that the Indian is not worthy of our confidence and good will. 
Let us first do our duty to them, leaving the question of their worthi- 
ness to Him, whose love for his Red Children is the same as that for 
his white and black children. Our own inconsistency and injustice 
demoralizes them constantly, and neutralizes almost entirely our 
efforts for their elevation. 

I have appended, as very appropriate, the Memorial of the 
Legislature of the Chickasaw Nation to President Grant in regard to 
the Chickasaw claim ; also, some extracts from a letter of Gov. Cyrus 
Harris, principal chief of the Chfckasaw Nation. 

Trusting the " Friends of Indians' may be encouraged by the 
noble efforts of the "Board of Indian Commissioners,'' to be more 
earnest and more hopeful in the good work. 
I remain, very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 
February 23tf, 1874. J. ELLIOT CONDICT. 

N. B. — In anticipation of the natural question that might arise 
in the minds of some, I would state that lam not interested directly 
or indirectly in any Indian claim : I only desire that our Govern- 
ment should do justice to the Indians, by paying them the money 
that is properly due them. 



IS THERE ANY JUSTICE FOR INDIANS ? 



Morristown, N. J., Sept. 20. 1873. 

Messrs. Editors : Nearly four hundred treaties have been 
made by the United States Government with the American Indians, 
and nearly every one of them has been broken in the most important 
provisions by the United States. 

Such is the sad truth, and I blush for my own country, when- 
ever I think of the terrible effect such perfidy and injustice has had 
on the minds and hearts of the Indians. 

The Council of the Chickasaw tribe of Indians is now in session 
at Tishomingo, in the Indian Territory. The Choctaws meet at 
their annual council in October, the Cherokees in November, and all 
the leading tribes — Creeks, Seniinoles, Osages and others — hold their 
yearly councils some time during the autumn months. These 
couueils are conducted with such propriety and decorum that they 
are worthy to be named as models for not only our State Legislatures, 
but our Congress. The principal business that occupies the minds 
and the time of the statesmen of their several tribes is, what 
measures shall be taken to secure justice from the United States 
Government ? 

I have before me an official document entitled, tw Claim of the 
Chickasaw Nation," being a letter from the Secretary of the Interior, 
containing an " estimate of appropriation required to pay the Chicka- 
saw Nation the balance remaining due and unpaid on certain bonds 
held in trust for said Indians by the Secretary of the Interior." 
The Acting Secretary of the Interior, Hon. B 11. Cowen, and the 
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, both endorse the validity and jus- 
tice of the claim, and request favorable action of Congress on the 
subject. There is no more question about the justice of the claim 
than there is about the obligation of the United States Government 
to pay its interest on its five-twenty bonds — aye, refusing to pay the 
interest iu the latter case would not be so great an act of injustice. 
The United States Government persuaded the Chickasaw Indians to 
let it (our Government) act as trustee for the monies belonging to 
the Chickasaw Nation ; but our honorable Congressmen struck from 
the Appropriation Bill the $2l)7,89().253due the Chickasaw Indians, 
and another year is added to the many long years of patient waiting 
of the poor Chickasaws. 



With what feelings of mockery must the Indian of to-day read 
the treaties between the United States and the Ohickasaws of 1832 
and 1834, where onr Government is spoken of as their - ; Great Father," 
and in which it is stated that " the Ohickasaws have ever been 
faithful and friendly to the people of this country ; that they have 
never raised the tomahawk to shed the blood of an American ; and 
have given up heretofore to their white brothers extensive and 
valuable portions of their country at a price wholly inconsiderable 
and inadequate, and from which the United States have derived great 
wealth and important advantages ; ' 

At the meeting of the Choctaw council in October, the question 
uppermost in the minds of all will be, " What can we do to persuade" 
(they well know the poor, weak red man cannot force) ''the United 
States Government to do us justice, and pay us the monies the 
United States received as Trustee, for the Choctaws over a quarter 
of a century ago. 

This case is as glaring an act of injustice and wrong as is the 
case cited in reference to the Ohickasaws. It may be briefly stated : 

In 1830, what is known as " The Dancing Rabbit Creek Treaty" 
was made between the United States Government and the Choctaw 
Indians; the Choctaws being compelled by threats and persuaded 
by fair promises to give up their lands east of the Mississippi and 
move to the Indian Territory. Among the provisions of the Treaty- 
was one by which the United States assumed trusteeship of the 
lauds of the Choctaws in Mississippi, agreeing to sell the same, and 
after deducting expenses of the sale, to pay over the net proceeds of 
such lands to the Choctaw Nation. 

Acting as such Trustee the United States had the lands sold. 
The amount received and properly due the Choctaws was about 
$3,600,000. Over thirty years has the government held these funds 
Year after year delegations from the Choctaws have visited Wash- 
ington and besought their "Great Father" to pay them this money. 
Year after year have they stood at the doors of Congress begging 
that the money might be appropriated to pay their just dues. Of 
the twenty thousand Choctaws who were compelled by the Govern- 
ment or its thieving land agents, to remove from their pleasant 
homes in Mississippi to the far distant lands of the State of Arkansas, 
scarcely one-twentieth are living, and all the long years their faces 
were turned toward Washington with longing expectation that their 
prayers might be heard, and their money paid to them, that they 
might build new homes and schools and churches. But their hopes 
and expectations were vain ; and they have gone from their earthly 
homes — gone beyond the reach of our cruelties, beyond the baneful 
influence of the White Map's *< ftre water ;" aye, gone where even our 
repentance and sorrow for our crimes against them will not avail. 



Their descendants finally succeeded in having the question of the 
justice! of their claims referred to the Senate of the United States, 
and on the 15th of February, 1859. the Committee on Indian 
Affairs of the Senate made their report. I will quote only one 
paragraph : 

" Their (the Choctaw) claims are to receive not only a just 
and fair but a liberal consideration. This is eminently due to the 
many sacrifices of the Choctaws both in war and peace; to their 
faithful services, never withheld and always cheerfully rendered in 
arms, and to their exemplary and uniform good conduct and peaceful 
demeanor, since the earliest settlement of the white race in the fertile 
and valuable country formerly occupied ' by them.' ' 

After an exhaustive examination of the subject, they passed a 
resolution, March 9, 1859, directing the Secretary of the Interior to 
make up the account, which was done May 8, I860. After deduc- 
ting every item at all in doubt, and charging the Choctaws all 
possible expenditures, he reported the amount due the Choctaws. 
$2,851,247.30. 

This was the net proceeds of sales of over ten million acres 
of land. The aggregate amount received by the United States was 
87,550.000. In other words, the trustee charged or permitted its 
agents to retain over four million of dollars out of sales of these 
Indian lands. But even this amount could not be collected by the 
Choctaws. The Senate on various pretexts reduced the amount 
named by the Secretary of the Interior to $2,332,560.85, and 
declared in their final award that they had charged the Choctaws 
every item they could find, under the strictest rules of construction. 

The Choctaws were compelled to submit to the award, and now 
looked gladly forward to the day when even this small sum should 
be paid them. But again they were doomed to disappointment at 
the hands of their white brother — their Christian, civilized brother ! 
Only $250,000 was paid them in 1861, and since that time, under 
various excuses, the Government has postponed the final payment. 
Every winter there can be seen about the Halls of Congress, a tall 
venerable looking man with long white hair hanging over his shoul- 
ders — a man of near seventy winters, who has spent his life for his 
tribe. He is an old chief of the Choctaw nation, and is giving 
what is left of his time — and talent and all in endeavoring to secure 
from our Government justice for his people. 

The question, ' k What ought we to do ?" assumes a terrible sig- 
nificance in the light of such facts as these. 

Nearly every tribe has some similar claim. Among the Creeks 
is a Ci Creek Orphan Fund claim ;" among the Cherokees — it is a 
" claim for land sold to the Government ;" and I might go on and 
mention over a score of valid, just claims, which the poor Indian 



5 

cannot get. And when his patience is at last worn out, he finds it 
utterly impossible to secure justice, and he frequently consents to a 
loss of half the claim to secure the service of some white man, or some 
member of Congress, in his behalf. 

To care for these claims in behalf of the Indians is not the duty 
of that noble band of Indian commissioners, of which Felix li. 
Brunot, William K. Dodge, George H. Stewart. William Welsh, and 
others are members. Their duty lies in the direction more particu- 
larly of seeing after the present supplies for the Indians. There is 
really no one department that assumes the duty and responsibility of 
pressing their claims upon Congress. 

" What ought we to do ? ? ' " What ought 1 to do ?" is the ques- 
tion that comes home to every American that loves to see his 
Government do justice. 

When the great Seneca orator, Red Jacket, replied to the mis- 
sionary who requested permission to preach to the Seneca Indians, 
he said, " Brother, we are told you have been preaching to the white 
people in this place. We will wait a little and see what effect your 
preaching has had upon them. If we find it makes them honest 
and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will consider again of what 
you have said."' 

ALIKCHI. 



6 

MEMORIAL^n 

OF THE 

chiokasaw nsr^Tioisr- 



To His Excellency : 

The President of the United States. 

The memorial of the Chickasaw Nation through its Legislature 
at Tishomingo assembled, respectfully represents : That 

The sum of Two hundred and Ninety Seventy Thousand Eight 
hundred and Ninety Dollars and twenty five cents ($297,890^^) is 
due to said Nation for arrearages of interest on moneys invested for 
them in bonds of the States of Arkansas and Tennessee. 

Your memorialists further represent that the fact that such 
interest remains due and unpaid, is shown by the records of the 
Indian Department, and has never been denied or disputed. 

Your memorialists therefore humbly pray that your Excellency 
will take such steps as may be necessary to secure the payment of 
said arrearages and will cause them to be remitted or sent to the 
Chickasaw Country by the Officers or Agents of the United States, 
and paid over to the Treasurer of the Chickasaw Nation. 

Approved Sept. 19th, 1873, 

Cyrus Harris, Governor. 



T hereby certify that the foregoing is a true authenticated copy 
from the original now on file in this office, this Dec. 17th, 1873. 

W. H. BOURLAND, 

National Secretary, C. N. 






' £0 MS 



7 

LETTER OF CI RTJ!^ HARRIS, 
GOVERNOR CHICKASAW NATION. 



Tishomingo Chickasaw Nation. 

November 24. 1873. 
MR. J. E. CONDICT : 

Mr. Dear Friend. 
Your kind and friendly letter of the 14th inst, lias just been 
received ; and in reply I must acknowledge that finding once in a 
while a friend who seeks justice for a weak and helpless people, is 
encouraging. 

It is true that the Chickasaws have funds in the hands of the 
United States Government; but it seems that nothing short of enor- 
mous attorney fees can secure us justice from those who claim to be 
guardians to a weak and dependent people. We have concluded this 
season to leave Ohichasaw matters with General Grant, who, we 
believe, will give justice Two memorials, one from the Legislature, 
and one from the people have been forwarded to bim. 

The claim that we contend for, is ours, and justly due us, and 
we need it, and should have it. The scarcity of money and the 
failure of crops this season, falls heavy upon the Chichasaws, and a 
great many of them must suffer unless we succeed in getting our 
claims through the coming Congress. I notice an article in the 
New York Observer in relation to Indian affairs, which should prove 
to all honest men, that the Indians are entitled to a gratitude more 
than they have ever received from the Government. 

If we can get our lands divided in severalty and give the Freed- 
men forty acres of land each as provided in the Treaty of 1866, and 
get our monies all safe, we will then be happy, and not till then. 
As ever, your friend, 

And obedient servant, 

CYRUS HARRIS. 



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